Films are powerful educational tools. They provide authentic language input, encourage critical thinking, and can lead to meaningful discussions. Additionally, students usually like to watch movies in school. At the same time, it can be challenging to connect the experience with long-lasting impact. One film that might bridge this gap is CODA (2021), directed by Sian Heder. CODA tells a deeply human story while offering opportunities for language learning. In the EFL (English as a foreign language) classroom, the film provides resources for inspiring themes such as identity, communication, diversity, and inclusion.
What is the film about?
The film tells a story from the perspective of Ruby Rossi. She is the only hearing member of a Deaf family. CODA stands for Child of Deaf Adults. Ruby is part of the CODA community and has built a bridge between her family and the hearing world. She regularly interprets conversations and supports the family as much as she can. Her family has a fishing business, and Ruby carries much more responsibility than teenagers usually do.
CODA can be considered an Own Voices text because it represents the Deaf culture very authentically. Several major roles are played by Deaf actors, which present experiences that have often been overlooked or misrepresented by the mainstream media.
Why is CODA a useful text to work with in the EFL classroom?
One of the strengths of the film is the authentic representation of the Deaf culture. It portrays the Deaf community as a cultural identity, with its own language, traditions, and perspectives. Disability is not portrayed through stereotypes. Students will see the use of American Sign Language (ASL), which encourages them to reflect on different forms of communication, and it raises awareness of accessibility and inclusion.
The film also points to the important topics of identity and belonging. Ruby constantly tries to navigate between two worlds. These themes resonate strongly with adolescents and identity formation. This creates opportunities to connect that to personal reflection and classroom discussion.
By seeing ASL being used, the film encourages learners to consider how language functions in different contexts and how communication can be successful within such situations. The movie highlights the aspect of language as a social and cultural practice rather than a grammatical system.
Due to emotional depth and the complexity of the themes CODA represents, the film is particularly suitable for students in (upper) secondary education (Grade 9–13). While the language is generally accessible, the narrative invites the watchers to think about family dynamics, responsibility, inclusion, and future aspirations.
Using the movie in the EFL classroom, will lead to more opportunities than only developing linguistic competence. From an intercultural perspective, students gain insights into Deaf culture, developing empathy and perspective-taking skills. The movie encourages students to appreciate diversity in modern societies.
Students can become active after watching the movie by, for example, analysing characters, interpreting key scenes, or writing film reviews. To learn a few sentences in ASL could also be an opportunity. Another important aspect would be that CODA promotes personal growth. Ruby’s experiences motivate learners to reflect on their own identities, family relationships, responsibilities, and future goals. This fosters empathy and self-awareness.
CODA has many strengths; however, it also has its limitations. The story is primarily told through Ruby’s perspective, and the other family members receive less attention. Additionally, the movie is telling a story and is not primarily created for educational use. Another important aspect that needs to be mentioned is the language use in the movie, and themes like drugs and sexuality occur. Therefore, as a teacher, it would make sense to think about dealing with such aspects of the film beforehand.
Conclusion:
The movie offers many opportunities for the EFL classroom. I would only recommend using the film in classes where students can think beyond the storyline. As the film offers discussions about quite personal and sensitive topics, it is important not to force students to share their experiences. Nevertheless, CODA can be the bridge to open space to talk about such topics and hopefully lead to meaningful conversations that will have a major impact on the student’s lives.
May the film inspire you and your students!
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 A. Weber (2026) CODA – a Movie for EFL?!